oleo-mac..etc
Jeez where do I start..there once was a chainsaw plant in Italy, it was called EFCO, and in the same area there was another chainsaw plant, it was owned by Mcculloch, and it was right across from a plant that makes cylinders for the chainsaw industry, Guillardoni, you wrenchs have seen this mark on many jugs,,Stihl, Husky, OLY, and the european Mcculloch's included...now..due to some strange marketings ideas, the Mcculloch plant made saws for the European market..and they were of course yellow,but not seen in the USA, and not at all resembling the saws manufactered in Mac's Arizona and Mexico plants, these saws represented typical European designs seen in this country under other Italian and German and swedish labels, and very similiar to the EFCO's as , like spanish shotguns, their views on what is "right" and what is not was very similiar.
now a couple a years ago..when Mcculloch went broke..(read this close Husqvarna) after their US based product line evolved into what their biggest customers (mass merchants) were asking for, (cheaper saws) and they for some reason did not import the "better" saws from their plant in Italy. the worlds largest chainsaw manufacturer went bust..and their Italian plant , as well as the rest of the company..was sold. this plant was bought by Electrolux.(Husqvarna parent). A very short time later BIG E bought the other plant in Italy, where we in the US have known the old OLYMPIC brand to come from. At this time these 2 plants now share very similiar designs and it can be reasoned that in the near future, due to the ecomonics of production, and The Swedish\Socialist track record.(read that Poulan/Husky/Pioneer saws ) of manufactering one modular engine for many different makes and applying different outside adornment, that they will also converge. As far as the John Deere relationship goes, They dumped their Homelite aquisition just a few months ago , and any as saw wrench knows, JD DONT make saws..and the manufacture of their saws has changed many times over the years, and at some times in recent history, had more than one company branding saws for them at the same time!
Now, with the chainsaw world rapidly changing as far as who owns who is concerned, lets take a look at the past history jus a moment. Mcculloch, who once dominated the world market, but when the emergence of the MASS merchant in the large US market happened, they of course went there for Biz..and they too said " only our Homeowner saws for these stores, and the Pro saws for the independant dealer", and for all the same reasons that Dave Zerfoss(Husky pres) tells us now..open better hours ..etc. Trouble was, the "homeowner market" was, and is, 75 percent of the market and the independant cant survive on 25 percent of the saw market..so when he went out, you had no place to get service from a high maintainence peice of equipment. and BINGO..the equipment elvoved into "disposable" tools
Husqvarna is telling all its dealers that it will be better for them in the future with this new relationship, jus like Mcculloch told their dealers...right up till the end!
now those are the facts...heres some opinion!
So far, only the GERMAN makes have vowed to stay away from this type of marketing, and as the owner of a whole shed full of saws,(Husky, Stihl, Mac and SOLO) many i cant get parts for anymore, (Macs) i wouldnt even consider anything but a SOLO or a STIHL for long term solidarity in service and parts and performance. Any line that goes mass merchant has in the past evolved into a throwaway tool for price advantages, for they have no other selling advantage in those stores, and the BUYERS always control the evolution of ANY product.
Kinda wordy i know fellas...but Ive BEEN to many of these plants, and a member summoned me to this forum for my take..and now you have it!
